Ariana Grande Has Found Her Voice on 'Sweetener'

Ariana Grande Has Found Her Voice on 'Sweetener'

Counting itself as one of the most highly-anticipated albums of 2018, Ariana Grande's Sweetener has arrived and it's a tour de force of unmatched vocals, groundbreaking beats, and the most intimate reflection of the superstar we've ever seen.

I could write a track by-track-review attempting to explain to you why this album is a bona fide triumph, but the larger picture is in fact that this album, start to finish, is a complex glimpse into the reality of someone who's quickly becoming the most famous woman in the world. One can't help but celebrate Grande and her new found power throughout the entire album, recognizing that yes,"God is a Woman", but Ariana Grande is a human and has grown up to be a woman right in front of our very eyes.

Doing her homework and enlisting the likes of Pharrell, Missy Elliott, and her dear friend Nicki Minaj, Grande pushes her sound and narrative to unexpected new heights and a level, dare I say, that is of Michael Jackson. The most heartfelt moment of the album arrives at the halfway point where Grande has to remind herself to keep "breathin", an anthemic climax of self-love and what I believe is the superstar's best song yet.

I couldn't help but cry while listening to Sweetener, not because it's sad, but because it paints an honest portrait of a figure who in the midst of tragedy has chosen to overcome any insecurity, chooses love, and has become a light for those who are going through the same things. Ariana Grande is the definition of what it means to be a star, and her light is shining brighter than ever. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Ariana.